The 2023 Utah's 2nd congressional district special election was held on November 21, 2023 to choose a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat became vacant following Republican representative Chris Stewart's resignation on September 15, 2023, due to his wife's ongoing health issues. On June 7, 2023, Utah governor Spencer Cox declared that the special election would be held on November 21, 2023, with the primary being held on September 5, 2023. This was the first congressional special election in Utah since the 2017 election in the 3rd district following the resignation of

Jason Chaffetz Jason E. Chaffetz (; born March 26, 1967) is an American retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until his resignation in 2017. He chaired the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2015 until 2017. Cha ...

, and only the second since

1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...

Celeste Maloy Celeste Maloy (born May 22, 1981) is an American attorney and Republican politician who is the U.S. representative for . She previously served as chief legal counsel to U.S. Representative Chris Stewart and as the deputy county attorney for Wash ...

, Stewart's legal counsel, won the Republican convention. Her victory was considered an upset, as former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes led every round of voting except for the final. Two other candidates, former Republican National Committee member Bruce Hough and former state representative Becky Edwards, qualified for the Republican primary via petition. Some Republicans filed a lawsuit to remove Maloy from the ballot after it was revealed that her Utah voter registration was inactive, as she had moved to Virginia while working for Stewart; however, the lawsuit was rejected. Democrats nominated state senator

Kathleen Riebe Kathleen Riebe ( ) is an American politician from Salt Lake City, Utah. She was a member of the Utah State Board of Education through 2018, and now represents Utah's 15th senate district in the Utah State Senate. Prior to redistricting she represe ...

. The 2nd district is considered a safe Republican seat, with a

Cook PVI The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated Cook PVI, CPVI, or PVI, is a measurement of how strongly a United States congressional district or U.S. state leans toward the Democratic or Republican Party, compared to the nation as a whole, based ...

of R+11. Stewart was re-elected with 59.7% of the vote in 2022. Donald Trump won the district with 56.7% of the vote in the 2020 presidential election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Eleven candidates competed at the Republican convention on June 24.

won, guaranteeing her a spot on the primary ballot. Two candidates who lost at the convention, Becky Edwards and Bruce Hough, also qualified for the ballot by collecting signatures. Edwards's candidacy attracted attention due to her controversial stances; she voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, disagreed with the overturning of '' Roe v. Wade'', supported the

second impeachment of Donald Trump Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, was impeached for the second time on January 13, 2021, one week before his term expired. It was the fourth impeachment of a U.S. president, and the second for Trump after his first imp ...

, and challenged U.S. Senator Mike Lee in his 2022 primary.

Nominee

, counsel for then-U.S. representative Chris Stewart

Eliminated in primary

* Becky Edwards, former

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

from HD-20 (2009–2018) and candidate for U.S. Senate in

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...

*Bruce Hough, former Republican National Committee member, former chair of the Utah Republican Party, and father of dancers Derek Hough and Julianne Hough

Lost at convention

*Kathleen Anderson, communications director for the Utah Republican Party and candidate for in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

*Henry Eyring,

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

professor and grandson of LDS Church Second Counselor

Henry B. Eyring Henry Bennion Eyring (born May 31, 1933) is an American educational administrator, author, and religious leader. Eyring has been the Second Counselor to Russell M. Nelson in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ...

*Scott Hatfield, congressional staffer *Jordan Hess, former vice chair of the Utah Republican Party ''(endorsed Maloy)'' * Greg Hughes, former Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives (2015–2018) from HD-51 (2003–2018) and candidate for Governor of Utah in

Withdrew during convention

*Quin Denning, construction contractor *Bill Hoster, mayor of Leeds ''(endorsed Hughes)'' *Scott Reber, realtor and former congressional staffer ''(endorsed Maloy)''

Withdrew before convention

*Tyrone Jensen, political podcaster, candidate for U.S. Senate in

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

and

, and candidate for this district in

Disqualified

*Remy Bubba Kush

Declined

Sheryl Allen Sheryl L. Allen (born June 30, 1943) is a Republican politician and educator from Bountiful, Utah. She represented the 19th District of the Utah House of Representatives from 1994 to 2011. Before entering politics, Allen was a teacher and the pre ...

, former

from HD-19 (1994–2011) *Gil Almquist, Washington County commissioner *Kathleen Anderson, communications director for the Utah Republican Party and candidate for in

*Robert Axson, chair of the Utah Republican Party (2023–present) *Brad Bonham, entrepreneur * Walt Brooks,

from HD-75 (2016–present) * Derek Brown, former chair of the Utah Republican Party (2019–2021) and former

from HD-49 (2011–2014) *

Daniel McCay Daniel McCay is an American politician and a Republican member of the Utah Senate representing District 18. Prior to redistricting he represented District 11. He was in the Utah House of Representatives representing District 41 from 2013 through ...

state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

from SD-18 (2019–present) *

Kim Coleman Kim Coleman (born July 11, 1967) is an American politician who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2015 to 2021, representing the 42nd district. She was a candidate in the 2020 Republican primary for Utah's 4th congress ...

, former

from HD-42 (2015–2021) and candidate for the

4th district Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

*Ben Horsley, chief of staff for the

Granite School District The Granite School District spreads across central Salt Lake County, Utah, serving West Valley City, Millcreek, Taylorsville, South Salt Lake, and Holladay; Kearns and Magna Townships; and parts of West Jordan, Murray and Cottonwood Heights. ...

*Victor Iverson, chair of the Washington County Commission * Carson Jorgensen, former chair of the Utah Republican Party (2021–2023) * Mike Kennedy,

from SD-21 (2021–present) and candidate for U.S. Senate in

*Derek Miller, president of the Salt Lake

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

Aimee Winder Newton Aimee Winder Newton is an American politician and member of the Salt Lake County Council representing the 3rd district. On October 23, 2019, Winder Newton announced her candidacy for Governor of Utah in 2020. Winder Newton would be the first f ...

, Salt Lake County councilor from the 3rd district (2014–present) and candidate for Governor of Utah in

*Corey Norman, chief of staff to U.S. Representative John Curtis *Jason Perry, director of the

Hinckley Institute of Politics The Hinckley Institute of Politics is a nonpartisan institute located on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its purpose is "to engage students in transformative experiences and provide political thought leadership" through inv ...

*John Pike, former mayor of

St. George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

Sean Reyes Sean David Reyes is an American lawyer and politician who has been the Attorney General of Utah since 2013. Appointed to the office by Governor Gary Herbert following the resignation of John Swallow, Reyes was subsequently reelected. Reyes is a ...

Utah Attorney General The Attorney General of Utah is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of Utah. The attorney general is the chief legal officer and legal adviser in the state. The office is elected, with a term of four ye ...

(2013–present) *Erin Rider, attorney, former staffer for then-U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, and candidate for this district in

*Adam Snow, Washington County commissioner *Trent Staggs, mayor of Riverton and nominee for mayor of Salt Lake County in

''( running for U.S. Senate)'' *Bob Stevenson, Davis County commissioner and candidate for in

Todd Weiler Todd Weiler (born 1967) is a Republican member of the Utah State Senate. He lives in Woods Cross, Utah. Weiler was first appointed to the state Senate in January 2012. Early life, education, and career Weiler received his business degree fr ...

from SD-08 (2012–present) * Thomas Wright, former chair of the Utah Republican Party and candidate for Governor of Utah in

Endorsements

Fundraising

Polling

Pre-convention debate

Convention results

Post-convention debate

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

from SD-15 (2019–present)

Lost in convention

*Guy Warner, tech executive *Archie Williams, heavy equipment operator and perennial candidate

Declined

Ben McAdams Benjamin Michael McAdams (born December 5, 1974) is an American politician and attorney who served as the U.S. representative from Utah's 4th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. He was the only Democratic member of Utah's congressional del ...

, former U.S. representative from (2019–2021) *

Kael Weston John Kael Weston (born 1972) is an American diplomat, author, and politician. He was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Utah's 2nd congressional district in the 2020 election. A member of the Democratic Party, Weston ran against ...

, former

U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...

official, nominee for this district in

, and candidate for U.S. Senate in

*Nick Mitchell, inventor, small business owner, and nominee for this district in

Convention results

Fundraising

Third-party and independent candidates

United Utah Party

Nominee

*January Walker, cybersecurity professional and nominee for in

=Lost convention

= *Stone Fonua, tax preparer and perennial candidate

=Convention results

Libertarian Party

Nominee

*Bradley Garth Green, plumbing supply store owner and son of Cedar City mayor Garth Green

Constitution Party

Nominee

*Cassie Easley, vice chair of the Utah Constitution Party and nominee for this district in

Independents

Declared

*Joseph Buchman, college professor, former chair of the Utah Libertarian Party, and perennial candidate *Perry T. Myers

General election

Debate

Predictions

Polling

Results

Notes

References

External links

List of filed candidates per the Utah Elections Office
;Official campaign websites
Brad Green (L) for CongressCeleste Maloy (R) for CongressKathleen Riebe (D) for CongressJanuary Walker (UUP) for Congress
{{2023 United States elections Utah 2023 2 Utah 2023 2 2023 2 Special Utah 2 Special United States House of Representatives 2 Special United States House of Representatives 2023 2

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Lost at convention

Withdrew during convention

Withdrew before convention

Disqualified

Declined

Endorsements

Fundraising

Polling

Pre-convention debate

Convention results

Post-convention debate

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Lost in convention

Declined

Convention results

Fundraising

Third-party and independent candidates

United Utah Party

Nominee

=Lost convention

=Convention results

Libertarian Party

Nominee

Constitution Party

Nominee

Independents

Declared

General election

Debate

Predictions

Polling

Results

See also

Notes

References

External links